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WMM/wonen l. G. MENOW & H. MEYER.

MAIL BOX ALARM.

APPLICATION man mme. 1915.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

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J. G. MENOW 6L H. MEYER.

MAIL BOX ALARM.

APPLICATION man APR.26,1915.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

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[Ya/fry Neyer 61H01 nu UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

JAMES G. MENOW AND HARRY MEYER, 0F SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TONATIONAL ELECTRIC MAIL BOX ALARM COMPANY, OF SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA,

A CORPORATION.

MAIL-BOX ALARM.

Application led April 2G, 1915.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, JAMES G. MENOW and Hanni MEYER, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Santa Rosa, in the county of Sonoma and Stateof California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-BoxAlarms, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to mail box alarms, and more particularly to theclass of electromechanical nested mail box alarms.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an alarm of thiscliaiacter wherein on the deposit of mail matter, irrespective of theweight thereof, in any one of the nested mail boxes, a signal will begiven, thus indicating such fact to the users of the particular boxes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an alarm of thischaracter wherein the construction thereof is novel in form or theautomatic signaling on the deposit of mail matter within a mail box orlike depository, the alarm being especially useful with mail boxes inapartment houses, tenements, or other dwelling places.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an alarm of thischaracter wherein the mail matter when deposited within each boxgravitates tothe lowermost point within the box for actuating a gravitycontact to close an electric circuit so that either a visible or audiblesignal will be given indicative of the deposit of the mail matter withinthe box.

A still further object of the invention is the provision or' an alarm ofthis character which is extremely simple in construction, thoroughlyreliable and efcient in its'purpose, unique, positive in action, andinexpensive in manufacture.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings F igure 1 is a fr agmentary vertical longitudinalsectional view through nested mail boxes showing diagrammatically thealarm circuit with the signals arranged therein. Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryrear elevation of the gravity contacts for one of the mail boxes. Fig. 3is a sectional View Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

Serial No. 24,018.

on the une 3-3 0f Eig. a Eig. i is a Sectional view on the line he ofFig. 3.

Similar reference characters indicate coi'- respondiiig parts throughoutthe several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates the body of the nestedmail boxes, preferably made from metal, and has arranged therein aplurality of partitions B which are inclined, together with the top andbottoni walls of the said body A so as to form chute-like compartmentsC, which form the respective depositories for mail matter, which isintroduced into each through a slot l) formed in a front door E of theordinary well-known construction.

Cut and formed from the top wall of the body A and the respectivepartitions B at or near the rear edge thereof are pintle sleeves of eyes5 for receiving pintles 6 which are also passed through pintle sleevesor eyes 7 formed on swinging gates or doors S serving to close the rearends of the compartments C, each gate or door 8 being formed at its freelonger edge with an inturned right-angular flange 9 serving as a stop toprevent the mail matter from passing the said gate or door 8 whengravitating to the lowermost point within the compartment.

Mounted within the body A rearwardly of the doors or gates 8, arehorizontally disposed bridge plates or bars 10, in each of which is adjustably mounted an electric contact 11, the same being insulated at 12from the plate or bar 10, and to these respective contacts 11 areconnected the terminals 13 of electric circuit wires 14, the electriccircuit of which includes the battery 15, ground wire 16, which istapped at 17 to the body A, and the audible signals 1S, although visiblesignals may be substituted therefor. The signals 18 are located in therespective apartments, rooms or other places of abode of the users ofthe particular mail boxes, so that when the electric circuit, which isnormally open, closes by the deposit of mail matter within thecompartments C, will actuate'the signals 18, indicating the fact of suchdeposit of the mail matter.

l hen mail matter has been deposited in any one of the compartments ofthe nested mail boxes the same will gravitate to the lowermost point ofthe said compartment to engage with the gravity gate or door 8,

vvhich is moved into engagement with the Contact ll, thereby closing,`the electric circuit for actuating the signal or alarm 1S, and thusenabling a person to know that mail matter has been deposited within themail box and in the particular compartment C used by such' person.

From the :foregoing` description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and manner of operation of thedevice Will be clearly understood, and therefore a more extended eX-planation has been omitted.

That is claimed is 1- In a mail box circuit closer, a. body :formed withan inclined compartment or receiving mail matter, a gravity memberproviding a hack for said compartment and having a conducting portionadapted for connection in a normally open electric circuit, a contactadapted to be arranged in said circuit and engaged by the conductor partof the member for closing thel circuit when said member is actuated bymail matter deposited in the compartment, and an inturned free edgeformed on the member to provide a stop at the lowermost point of saidcompz'irtment for the mail matter de posited Within the compartment.

ln testimony whereof We aiiix our signatures in presence of twoWitnesses.

Janne G. MENOW. [L 5.] HARRY MEYER. [1.. 8.]

lVitnesses M. W. GRINDLE, HENRY SILvERsi-IIELD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. Cl.

